So,
Having surveyed different models of College ministry, their strengths and challenges, I'll summarise by giving suggestions for how students can make the most of their opportunities on Campus, while being faithful to Jesus in the local church.
1) Find a gospel church you can join, and join it.
Students too often think of their 'home church' as being their church, and that they just visit a church where they are students. Wake up and smell the roses! If you are not living with your parents during term time, you have left home. You are now a (very welcome) visitor where you grew up.
The attitude towards church held in the years as a college student will be the pattern laid down for the rest of life. If someone just hangs out on campus ministry, when they graduate they will look for a church that is full of young professionals. When they get married & have kids, they'll look for a church with lots of young families. When their kids become teenagers, they'll change to a church that has a teenage ministry that looks like a church for teenagers. What will happen to the witness of the people of God is Christian have a consumeristic self-serving attitude to church like this?
Set a pattern as a College Student to join a church with old people, families with young children, middle aged people, as well as other College students. You may be surpirsed that as you think about how to commit to and love these people you will be served better in being shaped to look like Jesus.
Great thing to read on this: Josh Harris, Stop Dating the Church.
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